Mischief Managed
by TeaTimeTeller
Summary: When Fred and George Weasley decide to have a faceoff to determine which is the better prankster, life at Hogwarts becomes even wackier than usual. Can a winner be determined before the entire school is turned upsidedown? Please R&R.
1. Prologue

A/N: Fluff? Quite. Humor? Sure. Seriousness? Not at all.

Disclaimer- All I own is the plot, and various and sundry items I might happen to invent.

**Prologue**

Mindlessly, Fred Weasley scribbled down a name, for what seemed like the sixtieth time over the course of the last hour. Filch had chosen the least favorite of Fred's tasks for the detention- copying down names of past miscreants. Glancing up at the clock, he sighed, pushing his hair out of his eyes, and stretching his arms. _One hour down, one to go._ He pulled out the next card in the box, only to find it so worn that he couldn't read the writing. Shoving it back into the middle of the box already stuffed chock-full of the well-worn cards, he got up.

It wasn't fair that he had gotten all of the blame for being the "sole" perpetrator of the 'shampoo-turned-hair-dye' incident. It had been George's idea in the first place; he had only been the one to actually carry it out, and then get caught with the real shampoo in his book bag. Besides, Snape looked much better with pink hair. It was so…. him.

Cautiously, Fred peeked around the door connecting the small room he was serving detention in to Filch's office. Seeing the office empty, he snuck out into the deserted corridors. Sure, he had only served half of his detention time; but that was all that he had deserved as well. He made his way up to the Gryffindor common room, where he found George sitting in a chair by the fire.

Seeing him, George began snickering, and waved Fred over.

"How was detention, my ickle Freddy-poo?" George asked in a high sing-song voice. "Not letting detention ruin our mischief genius here, are we?" For effect, he patted Fred's head.

"Shove it, before I shove you out the window," Fred retorted, but grinned all the same. "Besides, we all know that I'm the true mastermind in this pairing."

"I beg to differ!" George jumped out of his seat and struck a pose, pretending to make a speech to the small crowd around them (including Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, and a few others sheltering from the snow by crowding into the common room). "I, George Weasley, defy the accusations made by one Fred Weasley that I am not the biggest prankster in the castle. I feel that as events warrant, I am forced to contradict this said statement!"

"I don't know, George," Ginny intervened. "Fred's got guts _and _half of a useful mind… whereas you only have half of a mind."

"Excuse me? Fred? A brain? Impossible." George seemed to be contemplating, and Fred noticed.

"Looking for something in your mind? Too bad it all comes from up here," he joked, tapping his head.

"You wish. Everyone knows I'm the brains behind Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes." George hastily continued, before Hermione, who had been opening her mouth, could admonish him. "Besides, I could prove I'm the better prankster."

"That sounds like a challenge to my ears," said Fred jovially. "But don't make it like in second year when you decided to see who could stick more mice in Snape's desk. Because if you ask me, we need to do something original this time!"

"Original is my middle name." George smirked. "You sure you're up to the challenge."

"Up-to-the-challenge is my middle name." Fred turned towards the four younger students. "You guys want to be the official judges, along with the voice of the uproar we're bound to cause?"

"I'm in," replied Harry and Ginny simultaneously. Ron nodded, as well. Hermione, however, shook her head.

"No! You really shouldn't do this, think of the trouble you'll be in! Besides, don't you two cause enough trouble as it is, without competing to see who can make more?" She sniffed disapprovingly.

"Aw, come on, 'Mione. It'll be fun. Besides, they've never gotten into any real trouble," Ron pleaded.

"Absolutely not. I refuse to be part of such petty rule-breaking. And it's not even for a good cause! No, no, I'm sorry; you'll have to find someone else!" Without another word, she pulled a book out of her bag and opened it up.

Rolling his eyes, Fred turned to the three whom had agreed. "So, the contest will be open for one week, alright? It's up to you guys to decide what we have to do."

"Fair enough," Harry said, nodding. Turning to Ron and Ginny, they began to mutter amongst themselves about what the requirements should be. Meanwhile, Fred and George smirked at each other, both sure they would win.

"All right," Ginny announced. "We're ready."

Harry spoke up. "Both of you have to prank a teacher, at least one student, and have to invent at least one joke item, and sell it. Profits count." He looked at Ron and Ginny to make sure he hadn't left anything out. "Oh, and the student can't be someone who knows something about the bet."

"Alright," said Fred, standing up and rubbing his hands together. "Let the games begin!"


	2. Teacher Trouble

Chapter 1- Teacher Troubles

A/N: Suggestions for sweets are welcome. ) All credit will be given if they are used.

The next morning, George made his way down to the Great Hall as usual. He gave a jovial wave to Harry and Ron, who were seated a little ways down the table, talking in hushed voices. Sitting down, his mind immediately began contemplating ideas to use in the contest. This was one time that he was sure Fred wouldn't come out on top, despite his past triumphs (for example, the afore-mentioned mice competition.)

His plotting was cut short when Lee Jordan meandered down towards him. Lee didn't know of the contest, and George was debating whether to tell him about it. It wasn't that he would prank Lee; Lee was too used to being pranked for it to cause much trouble. Instead, he was thinking more along the lines of asking Lee for help on some inventions. Though he himself had a knack for little charms, George knew Lee hardly ever messed up things like that. But would that be cheating? Though it hadn't been mentioned, George wasn't sure it would be allowed, and he wanted to win fair and square.

Nonetheless, as Lee entered, George waved at him, beckoning him to sit next to him. Before Lee made it over to the Gryffindor table, however, he was stopped by Professor Flitwick. Seeing the tiny professor next to the towering student sparked a brain wave as to a prank to fulfill the teacher part of the competition. Grinning, George pulled his charms book out of his bag and flipped to a chapter in the back of the book. Five minutes later, a plan was fully formulated in his mind.

Fred mindlessly scribbled down their assignment in Defense Against the Dark Arts. It was one of the three classes he had managed to get an O.W.L. in, so he figured he may as well try to do some work, even if he didn't need a N.E.W.T. in the class. Mostly, he was trying to think of a contest worthy prank. He didn't want to prank Snape; between he and George, that particular person had received too many pranks for a new one to be interesting. No, this prank would have to be on someone else.

Looking around the classroom, the various frills and lace adornments of Umbridge hideously bedecking the walls, Fred had a sudden idea. Slowly, he reached down, groping for his bag, but still staring at the board. It wouldn't do to have Umbridge noticing him doing something other then what she had assigned; it would be detention for sure, and after seeing Lee's hand, detention from Umbridge was to be unpleasant. After a few seconds, his hand closed around a clasp on his bag, and he slowly opened it, pulling out a handy book he carried around, entitled Devilish Deeds- An Everyday Guide to Tricky Charms for General Amusement.

Silently, he thumbed through the pages of the book, looking up a charm. Suddenly, a sweet and sickly voice came from the front of the class.

"Mr. Weasley? No, not you George, the other Weasley!" Fred looked up as Umbridge called him out. He presented a face of pure innocence. "Are you paying attention?"

"Of course." As soon as her eyes were averted elsewhere, he went back to his book.

By Charms that afternoon, George was ready. He had practiced the spell, and was comfortable using it. Above all, the recipient of the prank was present. Lee kept sending him pointed looks across the room, as if to say, "Are you going to do it yet?" (George had filled him in along the way to Charms.) Each time though, George shook his head slightly. He was going to wait until the end of class, so as Flitwick wouldn't be able to prove the prankster was in his class.

As the final bell for the class rang, George slowly put his books in his bag. Taking his time, he made sure that some of his classmates were still in the room when he was standing by the door. As soon as Flitwick had his back turned, looking for a book on one of his shelves, George drew his wand out and took aim.

"_Wingardium Leviosa Everlastimus!_" As soon as the charm was uttered, the effects set in, much to the amusement of everyone in the room. Everything within a three foot radius of Flitwick, including bookshelves, inkpots, quills, and parchment, shot straight up in the air, hovering about a foot out of Flitwick's reach. Doubled over in silent laughter, George and Lee practically ran down to the Great Hall.

Throwing themselves onto a bench in the Great Hall, across from Harry, Ron and Hermione, the two broke into howls of laughter. Ron and Harry exchanged knowing looks, and Hermione looked on questioningly.

"Oh, no." A look of sudden comprehension dawned on her face. "You didn't prank someone did you George? Please tell me you didn't."

"Right in one!" Lee exclaimed, high-fiving George. "And it's brilliant. Wait until you see Flitwick."

"Professor Flitwick? Oh Merlin, George! When you get in big trouble one day, you can't say that we didn't warn you!" Hermione looked scandalized but everyone ignored her. Ron leaned forward eagerly.

"What'd ya do?" he asked, excitement showing on his face. "Obviously something amusing…" Before George could reply, Flitwck made his way into the Hall. Everything around him was still floating above his head. As he passed tables, food and benches, too, shot up into the air, terrifying those sitting on them. Once he had moved away, however, they all thumped back into position.

Nearly everyone in the Hall was laughing by now, pointing at Flitwick and grinning. Even Hermione had a slight smile on her face, but she was shaking her head piteously all the same. "George- that's so cruel!"

George stopped bowing jauntily, and turned to face her, a grin plastered on his face. "Oh, but it's brilliant all the same, innit? Don't worry," he added, seeing the look on her face. "The spell can be reversed. Flitwick could do it himself, but it has to be someone other than the person whom the charm has been placed on that reverses it. Probably why McGonagall's here." He pointed at the doors to the Hall, where McGonagall was hastily making her way towards Flitwick.

Harry stopped laughing long enough to slip out a question. "Hey guys- Where's Fred?"

As soon as he saw McGonagall rush by in the other direction, Fred moved out from behind the gargoyle standing next to her classroom. Looking hastily in both directions to be sure that no one had seen him, he slipped into the room. Quickly, he began casting charms and placing items here and there. In less than ten minutes, the room looked exactly as he had pictured it. Smirking, he left, and went to the end of the corridor, where he sat waiting for McGonagall to return.

Before she came however, a group of Ravenclaws passed, all laughing about something. Assuming George's prank had already been performed, he tapped one on the shoulder. "What's up?"

"Oh, your twin just created a good laugh by pranking Flitwick. Mind, it was great, but I figured you were in on it," one of the girls replied, giggling. "See you later, Fred… er, George? Um, yeah… catch you later!" The group waltzed off, still giggling. A hand tapped Fred's shoulder. Startled, he turned quickly, nearly backing into the wall. The person who had tapped him was also startled by his sudden movement; they too jumped.

"Merlin, you scared me!" both people chorused at the same time. Fred stared at George.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

George eyed his twin. "A question I could ask you. Not up to any mischief are we?"

Fred rolled his eyes. "Not anymore."

"Not anymore? You couldn't possibly mean what I think you do."

"Oh, I do." The sounds of a sole person's footsteps echoed through the hallway. "Shut up, come in here. Here comes McGonagall!" Fred shoved George unceremoniously through a door posing as a portrait. As the two sat in the enclosed space, George leaned into Fred's ear.

"Did you really prank McGonagall?"

"Why not? No one else has the guts. They have to go prank kind, old _Flitwick_, who never punishes anyone for anything." Fred smirked.

George opened his mouth to reply, but before he could, a scream split the air. "Looks like she found it," he muttered, and felt Fred nod fervently in reply.

"Knew she'd like it!" The twins heard the sound of many pairs of rushed footsteps moving past their hiding spot as people ran to the scene. Before long, shouts of laughter joined the din. Figuring that by this time there were enough people that their arrival would go fairly unnoticed, they slipped out from behind the portrait and joined the growing throng.

"….Responsible for this! Come forward immediately!" McGonagall's voice rang through the air sharply, and everybody quieted down. Inquisitive, George leaned forward and tapped a girl who had come from the front on the shoulders.

"What happened?" he asked quietly.

"Ooh, someone charmed McGonagall's classroom. It looks so much like Umbridge's that I wondered for a second if it was really the Transfiguration room! It's all pink and everything!" The girl suddenly paused, and looked at the two shrewdly. "You mean to say you didn't have anything to do with this?"

"Nope!" Fred interjected before George could point the finger of blame at him. "None at all. We were just curious as to why McGonagall was so upset. I reckon we should be going now, don't you George?" He made a move to depart from the crowd. George, however, had other plans.

"Oh, no. I really want to see what some other prankster has to offer don't you?" Left with no argument, Fred stayed. In a short time, the crowds had cleared out, and they were near the front of who was left. When George finally caught a glimpse of the room, he nearly gasped out loud.

As the girl had said, Fred had decorated the room so that it was nearly an exact replica of Umbridge's pink parlor. Doiles and lace trimmings were everywhere, and oodles of magical cats prowled the walls, which had been changed to a vibrant pink. There was also high-pitched opera wailing from a sonogram, which appeared to be stuck in the 'on' position. Raising his eyebrows, George headed up to the common room, tailing Fred.

Both stopped half-way to the boy's dorms, seeing Ron, Harry, and Ginny sitting by the fireplace. They ambled over to where they were sitting and stood in matching poses, arms crossed and with one foot out.

"Where's Hermione?" Fred asked, even though he knew the answer.

"Library," all three younger students chorused.

"Figured as much," George said. "Now, who wins the first round?"

"What? We haven't even had a chance to talk about it!" Ron exclaimed, seeming surprised by the forwardness of the question.

"No one ever said we had to judge round-by-round. It's all wrapped into one," Ginny stated. Nobody argued, knowing that Ginny was too stubborn to have her mind changed.

"Fine," Fred grumbled. "But you know where to find us if you change your mind." As the twins traversed in the opposite direction, Harry called out after them.

"Where's that?"

The twins looked at each other and replied in unison.

"Wherever!"


End file.
